


Peter Parker, Doc Ock, and the girl who got mixed up between them

by Dori_Rosen



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: Casual abduction, Cheesey teen story but with flair, Couple goals, Doc Ock is a bitch, F/M, Gen, Hurt Peter Parker, Parent Tony Stark, Post-Spider-Man: Homecoming, Pre-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Precious Peter Parker, Teen Romance, Tony Stark is a mad lad, yeet
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-13
Updated: 2020-04-12
Packaged: 2020-12-14 20:28:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 15,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21021791
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dori_Rosen/pseuds/Dori_Rosen
Summary: Ann is a quiet and studious girl, who spends most of her time with her best and only friend, Peter Parker. But when a notorious villain decides to show up at precisely the wrong moment, she is thrown into the world of Avengers with her most revered idols and feared enemies.Also, this fic is not finished yet, but come back for regular updates!





	1. Nighttime endeavors

**Author's Note:**

> Hey y'all,
> 
> Welcome to my story! This story takes place in the MCU after Spiderman Homecoming, but before Avengers Infinity War. It is my first time writing on this website, so please leave comments and suggestions as you go! Most importantly, thank you all for reading and I hope you enjoy Peter Parker, Doc Ock, and the girl who got mixed up between them. :)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ann runs into a bit of trouble on her walk home.

Ann walked home quietly with her head down on the dark New York street. Well, Queens, technically, but she thought of it all as the same anyway. She was always on edge when she had to walk home late, especially as she turned onto this particular alley. She had heard so many horror stories about young girls that left to go out too late and were never seen again. A short shudder went down her spine at the thought. She knew she could take different routes to avoid it, but it was her fastest way home and she needed to get sleep before her big presentation tomorrow. 

However, she would have much rathered a longer walk to what happened next. “Hey princess… you look pretty cold. You wanna come somewhere I can... warm you up?” He paused, and Ann thought she heard him lick his lips. The voice was coming from behind her. Catcalls were not new to Ann, so she kept walking with her eyes glued to the pavement. She stopped when she ran into something. Or rather, someone. The man that was previously behind her looked down at her with a stern face. He towered above her with big shoulders and strong arms. 

“I asked you a question,” he said. “N-no,” Ann replied in a soft voice, her breath hitching. “Huh?” The yellow street lamp cast terrifying shadows across his face. “No,” she said, louder this time. She could see more dark shapes looming beside him in her periphery. “Well, I think you should,” said the man, coming much to close- close enough he could probably hear her heart hammering in her chest. She started to back away, her mind screaming for her to run, but her legs wouldn’t budge. She felt as if she was facing a fierce wolf as the rest of his pack surrounded her, preparing to tear her limb from limb. 

She counted three, including the man in front of her. Ann couldn’t take it. 

She spun around and ran as fast as she could- only to run into another wolf. Four. He shoved her back. She was trapped. She started to scream, hoping that someone- anyone, would hear her. “HE-” one of them clamped his hand over her mouth and put his other arm across her stomach, trapping both of her arms. “Hey boss, look what we caught.” The man who was holding her laughed down her neck. His breath smelled of alcohol.

She struggled as best she could, but he was too strong. Sweat beaded on her forehead as she writhed under his grip, but it only got tighter. The others closed in. Her body tensed in fear. One tore her bag from her hand and began to rifle through it. He found her phone and smashed it on the ground and crushed it with his shoe for good measure. The catcaller stared at her, grinning in a way that made her want to shrink so small that no one could ever find her again. 

The fourth tried to wrap a rope around her ankles. She kicked him in the nose with the heel of her boot, and he staggered back, bleeding. She heard him mutter something under his breath along the lines of ‘you bitch.’ He sprang up and swung his fist towards her head, landing a hard blow across her cheek. Her vision swam and tears pooled in her eyes. The ‘Boss’ pulled him back. “Cool it, Jo. You’ll have plenty of time to rough her up once we get her back.” He shot her a wink that made her want to throw up. She kicked and twisted with new energy fueled by the desire to never learn where ‘back’ was. And then out of nowhere, she was let go. 

Ann collapsed onto the ground and heard her head smack against the pavement. She felt the warm rush of blood as she struggled onto her hands and knees. Her heart rate skyrocketed as she remembered where she was, so she scrambled onto her feet hoping to run before anyone grabbed her again. But when she turned around, she realized her previous captor certainly wasn’t going to do that. A tall slender figure stood over him lying unconscious on the ground. 

Ann recognized the suit immediately as anyone in New York would. It was Spider-Man! Relief flooded her body in a wave so strong she almost fainted. She watched in awe as he ran up the wall and began fighting with the kidnappers. He leaped onto Jo and punched him several times where Ann had already kicked him. Blood ran all down his face as he fell, out cold. The boss came for him next, but Spider-Man spun around and kicked him in the stomach, sending him flying backward and into the fourth, who was still clutching Ann’s bag. He webbed them both to the wall with an almost matter-of-fact attitude, leaving one squished behind the boss. Ann walked up to them and yanked her bag from his hands as Spider-Man webbed up the other two. Dopamine rushed through her blood from the excitement, dizzying her. Her head throbbed and she stumbled. Her knees gave out, exhausted. 

Spider-Man caught her and gripped her shoulders, keeping her upright. “Hey, are you alright?” his voice was soft and calming, and starkly familiar. She couldn’t leave the thought behind that she knew him from somewhere, but she couldn’t place it. She could hardly think of anything but the throbbing in her skull. He was really nice, as one would imagine a superhero to be, but she was still a little taken aback… and severely starstruck.

She was having a casual conversation with Spider-Man. At the thought, her heart seemed to skip a beat, and she stumbled out, “I’m more okay than I would have been if you hadn’t shown up,” she replied, almost chuckling. “I guess that’s what I get for walking alone after dark.”

“Well that’s not fair,” he said. “I think anyone should be able to walk around without fear, no matter what time it is.” 

“Well, then you might be out of a job.” 

He laughed. “Let’s get you home.” She couldn’t see his face, but she could tell his face softened, and she relaxed, leaning against him for support. “Wait, let me call the police,” she reached into her bag only to remember that her phone was smashed to pieces. “Or not.” She sighed. 

“Don’t worry, I’ve got it.” he pressed a few buttons on his suit. “All taken care of.” She smiled. He started to help her walk, her legs still aching from the combined strain of soccer practice and having to escape the kidnappers. Before she knew it, they were standing outside her apartment building.

though she hadn’t told him where she lived, he had known exactly where to go. She didn’t have enough brainpower to question it- walking home was so natural to her. Maybe she had led him more than she thought. “Thank you,” she said. 

“You’re welcome, Ann.” She reeled back. “How did you know my-” but he was gone. Ann staggered into the building, probably looking drunk if not for the blood still flowing from where she had hit her head. She opened the door to her studio apartment. She had only owned it for a few months, once she finally saved up enough to move out of her father’s house. It wasn’t exactly legal, but as long as she paid rent her landlord didn’t care. Her father was a drunk. Ann bet he didn’t even notice she was gone. She and fell onto the bed and was asleep with her bag still in hand. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed the first chapter of Peter Parker, Doc Ock, and the girl who got mixed up between them! See you next time!


	2. Two rushed braids and some lip gloss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ann wakes up the next morning for her big presentation. But somebody has other plans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Thank you all for coming back to read my story! I'm so sorry it has been such a long time since I posted the first chapter, but I promise more will be coming soon!

Ann woke up the next morning from the light coming in from the window. As she sat up, groaning from the pounding pain in her temples, she could see where blood had stained her pillowcase. She cringed in annoyance. She casually checked her bedside clock. 8:03. “HOLY SHIT!” She shot out of bed, suddenly unaware of the soreness from the night before. School started in 27 minutes, and her major presentation was today. Everyone’s was. Today was junior speech day, where all of the juniors at her high school gave a speech. The topics varied from year to year, and this years was current events. Her topic was human trafficking- which hit a little to close to home since last night. She wondered if the men had been caught and put on the news, and started calculating ways to put it into her speech.

When she looked in the mirror, she was a mess. Her curly brown hair was strewn everywhere and she was sticky with blood and sweat. She stripped quickly and raced into the shower, lightly scrubbing the area around where she had hit her head. The bleeding had stopped, but she still stood there for several minutes before the water ran clear. She hopped out of the shower and wrapped her hair in a towel, noting sourly the bump on her head, and grabbing hurriedly at the clothes on the floor.   
Thank god she had picked this outfit out weeks ago- of course, it was her only nice outfit, and she had bought it specifically for this occasion. It was a sky-blue blouse with short ruffled sleeves over black pants and simple flats. She brushed her hair quickly and put on two rushed braids and some lip gloss. Not exactly the look she had in mind, but it was enough to get her out of the door by 8:16. She grabbed her lunch, speech, keys, and subway card and bolted out the door. 

By the time she got to school, it was 8:47, and she was panting like she had just run in the Olympics. She had sprinted from the subway station in her flats and was bleeding at the heels. The air conditioning was a precious welcome, but not so much principal Schubert staring at her. “You’re late,” she growled.   
“  
Yes I know,” Ann began to explain, “I slept in, but I got here as fast as I could,” she said between breaths. She was not amused. 

“All the students are in the assembly hall.” Ann began to walk quickly through the halls of the Midtown School of Science and Technology until principal Schubert was out of sight. Then she broke into a run. As she rounded the corner, she collided into her best (and only) friend, Peter Parker. 

“Peter! Oh, I’m so sorry. Where is everyone? Have they started yet?” He grabbed her arm to keep her from falling back. She looked up at him. He looked very handsome, in a white dress shirt and jeans. His hair was brushed neatly to the side and gelled to stay in place, but there were still a few strands that hung over his eyes. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach, but she pushed them down. 

“We’re all waiting for you, where the hell were you?” he whisper-shouted, concern clouding his expression and painting his voice. “I’ve been calling you all day. We agreed to meet outside at 8:00! And why is your head bumpy?” 

“My phone was broken,” she started, a little embarrassed that he had noticed her head. “Look, I have a lot to tell you, but can we please just get inside?” 

She pulled him into the auditorium. She hated being late. She felt the weight of everyone’s gaze like a stone crushing her slowly. “Ann, so glad you could join us,” remarked Mr. Levi, her language teacher. He was the one who would be grading the speeches. A few kids snickered and heat flooded her cheeks. She hated being the center of attention, almost more so than being late. 

There were about 250 kids in Midtown’s junior class and the speeches where to go alphabetically by last name, so Ann Quinn had plenty of time to tell Peter what had happened last night. When she finished, he looked stunned. He hugged her quickly and fiercely. “I’m so glad you are ok,” he whispered. 

“Me too,” she replied. They sat and talked quietly with each other while the speeches droned on. 

It was nearly 3:00 when Ann heard “Ann Quinn,” called passively by Mr. Levi. As it was nearing the end of the day, everyone was tired of sitting and just wanted all this to be over. So really the likelihood that anyone was listening to her was little to zero. Nevertheless, walking up to the podium Ann felt naked with the lights shining right in her eyes. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves and started. When in the middle of her sentence she couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t feel the ground beneath her feet. Something was lifting her into the air by her neck and squeezing her. Hard. 

Panic and the reminder of the events from the previous night swept through her. She was gasping, along with the students, clawing at whatever it was that was holding her. It brought her in closer to its body- a woman with wild brown hair and seemed to be steaming from the ears. She was controlling a giant machine with eight arms. One of which was holding Ann. “Hello children,” announced the woman. “My name is Doctor Olivia Octavious, but you can call me Doc Ock.” 

She slammed Ann’s body against the metal control center of the machine with a clang that radiated inside her head and knocked the breath out of her lungs. Ropes spread out from the sides and tied themselves around Ann until she could only move her neck. It seemed the more that she struggled, the tighter the ropes got. Another one of the arms pressed a dagger against her throat. “Listen up, kids. Here’s the deal.” 

Her voice dripped with madness, and Ann started to panic. She didn’t know what was going on, and she had a hard time focusing on her captor’s words. “I have spent many months trying to discern the identity of a very special Spider-Man. I’m sure you have heard of him,” she said with sarcastic flair. "So I know for a fact that whoever it is has a very special relationship with this girl.” She turned to Ann, her eyes boring into her. “This girl has been saved my Spider-Man not once, not twice, but three times,” the crowd murmured. “Isn’t that right, girl?” Ann stayed silent, unsure of what she was supposed to say. 

“Speak!” Yelled Doc Ock. Ann’s voice was quiet and trembling as words tumbled out of her mouth. 

“Only once,” she replied. “Just last night.” 

“Liar!” The dagger pressed closer to her throat and blood spilled onto her blouse. “Do you remember when your school had a fire?” Ann nodded. She did. It was terrifying. Spider-Man had saved her from a falling piece of ceiling, but he had also saved lots of people. “What about those gunshots near your apartment?” 

“How do you know where I live?” 

“Honestly, sweetheart, I would be concerned about other things right now.” The knife cut closer. “So…” she turned to address the crowd. “Whoever wants to reveal their identity as Spider-Man, now would be a good time. Because if you don’t… I’ll cut her throat.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all liked the second chapter of "Peter Parker, Doc Ock, and the girl that got mixed up between them"! Again, more chapters coming soon. Thank you again for reading and happy new year!


	3. Tapestry of Confusion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter tries to save Ann before Dock Ock can escape.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back, everyone! Thank you for coming back to read my story. I hope you all enjoy it and are equally baffled that IT IS ALMOST 2020!

Tears pooled in Ann’s eyes. People at this school liked her, but not enough to give away their identity to save her… they mostly liked her because she helped them with homework anyway. Her run-ins with Spider-Man were just a coincidence. This was it. She was going to die. She shut her eyes tight, trying to imagine she was anywhere else but here.

***

Peter’s heart began to race with rage and distress. His mind spun with a conflict that was quickly resolved. He could not let Ann die. He rummaged through his backpack and slid on his web-shooters and tucked his mask under his arm. “Well, who is it? You’ve got ten seconds or this girl’s blood will be on your hands. And the floor.” She cackled, a sound that pierced through Peter’s mind like lightning bolts. “Ten… Nine…” Peter shot his web and grabbed her knife, yanking it away from Ann’s throat. 

“Get away from her!” He yelled. Ann’s eyes snapped open. Everyone gasped, and murmurs erupted like volcanoes exploding all over the room. The lava of their chatter reached his ears. How? Him? Who knew that Spider-Man would be such a dork in real life? But he didn’t pay attention to any of it. His eyes were locked in Ann’s- they were wide and terrified. He longed to just hold on to her and tell her everything will be ok. To explain why he hadn’t told her his secret. Thousands of unsaid words clung to his mouth and into his throat, setting his jaw as he turned to Doc Ock with a steely glare.

“Let her go,” he growled. “You know my identity, let her go!” The room was silent. Doc Ock began to laugh. 

“Well, well… what do we have here? Could this be… the boyfriend?” Some students, completely oblivious to the severity of the situation, actually laughed. 

“She’s my best friend, now let her go!” Doc Ock laughed and muttered something under her breath that sounded like ‘denial.’

“Peter?” Ann’s voice was total shock, and her face was strained in confusion and hurt. 

“You know what? I’m not going to let her down.” Octavious smirked. “Let’s have a little fun first.” 

“You said you would let her go, so do it!” His heart was pounding, he could hear his blood rushing through his ears. He would not lose Ann. He could not lose Ann. He’d break. He’d shatter. 

“No, I said if you didn’t, I would kill her. I never said I would release her if you did. You should be more careful with words, Peter,” She spat his name like it was acid. “If you ever want to see your girlfriend alive again, then you’ll have to come get her. Come find her, and save her again as you have so many times. You will come alone and unarmed by midnight tonight, or you guys can say your goodbyes now.” 

Peter panicked. He shot a badly aimed web at Doc Ock, but she moved Ann right in front of it. It landed square on her mouth, muffling her words. Octavious cackled. “Well, at least you can. Bye now!” Before Peter could say another word, Doc Ock smashed through the brick wall at the back of the stage with Ann. But before she left, Peter could see Ann struggling against her bonds. She gave one last terrified look, much the same look Peter had seen last night, and then was gone.   
Aware of the stares of all of his classmates, he ran out of the window, pulling his mask over his face, although it was pointless now. His cover had been blown, and his life would never be the same. But at this moment, he didn’t care about his identity. All he could think about, all he could see, all that mattered was Ann. Getting her back. He raced after her, but Doc Ock was too fast and surprisingly graceful. He could see Ann tied to her side, and he gave another burst of speed. She began to climb up the side of a nearby building. Peter matched her height, his heart sinking thinking of Ann’s fear. When suddenly- 

***  
Of all the things that scared her in the world, other than being kidnapped in front of all her classmates by a deranged doctor and held hostage, it was height. As Doc Ock had hurtled out of her school and onto the street, Ann’s head spun with a million questions weaving together a brilliant tapestry of confusion. She could not possibly comprehend the thought of Peter being Spider-Man. But the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. How Spider-Man knew her name and where she lived last night. How Peter had become more distant lately, always sneaking off.   
And, she realized with a jolt, his Stark internship! She felt almost stupid now for not realizing it sooner. But her thoughts quickly jumped to her next problem- Doc Ock was beginning to climb up a building. Within what seemed like three seconds, Ann had gone from being ten feet from the ground to a hundred feet. She gave a tentative look down and saw the ground falling away beneath her. Her stomach lurched and she passed out. She hadn’t realized that the total relaxation of her body would loosen the bonds completely.

***  
When suddenly- Ann began to fall. Peter raced toward her. He focused as he leaped from roof to roof to catch her. He had trained for things like this. But just as he was getting into position, ropes from Doc Ock’s suit shot down and grabbed her by the ankle, leaving her to bob there like bait on a fishing hook. Peter wanted to shoot a web onto her, but wouldn’t risk it again. Panic seized his heart as the ropes pulled the still unconscious Ann up quickly to Octavius, who seemed to be standing on something… invisible. Both she and Ann disappeared inside it. He shot a futile web in that direction. When it hit nothing, he collapsed on his knees in defeat. He had lost her. He had failed.


	4. What now?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter consults with the Avengers on how to get Ann back. Peter gets a mysterious notification.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GUYS IT'S 2020!!!  
And I'm going to keep churning out chapters until I have to go back to school because I won't have time. Thank you again for reading and I wish you all the most in this new decade!

Well, she must have passed out, because her memory was blank. One moment she was looking down at the street and the next she was in a dark room all alone. It was completely dark- she couldn’t even see her hand in front of her. And it was pretty small, too, as she found out from quickly running into four walls that were nearly suffocating her. She had no idea what time it was or how much time had passed. She started to bang her fists on the walls of her cell, but she was met with hard stone. 

“Help! Help me please!” she called, but there was no response. Tears streamed down her face, and she crumpled into a corner. This couldn’t be happening. Ann was alone with her thoughts, which were running so rampant that the sleeping gas that was pumped into the room was almost welcome. She fought to stay awake, terrified for where she might find herself next, and as she drifted off, she couldn’t even tell if she had closed her eyes.

***

Peter stayed there, staring hopelessly at the chalky gravel of the roof. He didn’t know what to do, but he did know who to call. “Karen, call Tony.” The phone rang barely once before he picked up, and an image of Tony in a boardroom flashed in front of him.   
“What’s happening, Underoos? I’m kind of in the middle of something here. Isn’t today your big presentation?” 

“It’s an emergency, Mr. Stark,” he said. Tony’s eyebrows furrowed in concern. Peter told him everything, fighting hard to hold back tears. He still couldn’t believe it. It had all happened so fast… “and now my cover is blown, and my best friend is gone.” 

He just couldn’t get the image of her out of his head. Wide eyes, straining against the ropes, and his web sprayed across her mouth. “Alright, kid, here’s what we are going to do. Come to the compound ASAP. I’ll see you there, and we can discuss what comes next. Have your suit on by the time I arrive.”

“But sir, I left my suit in my bag at school,” Peter said with a sinking realization. He couldn’t go back there- he wouldn’t be able to get back out. 

“Don’t worry about it, Parker. Just get here.” He hung up.

It took Peter nearly an hour to get to the Avengers building. He kept missing with his webs and swinging at odd places. He just couldn’t get Ann out of his mind. Worry for her nagged at his heart like pulling a stray thread in a sweater, and he could feel himself beginning to unravel. Oh, Ann. How could I have ever let you go? By the time he got up to the Avengers compound, it was nearly 5:00, and he was panting with exhaustion. But just as Mr. Stark said, there was his backpack waiting for him. He pulled on his suit in the bathroom and raced into the conference room to find Tony, Natasha, and Clint already there, staring at him. Nat had a soft look on her face, staring at him like he was a three-legged puppy. He straightened up and wiped the tears from his face. 

“I guess Tony already told you what happened” he croaked out. 

“Yes, Peter, and I’m so sorry,” said Nat. He relaxed, but quickly tensed up again and then collapsed into a chair. 

“What now?” Peter asked, hopelessness in his voice. 

“We have until midnight to find her,” Tony started, “and there are about a million places she could be.” Peter sank down in his chair. “But I have Friday scanning the city for large, invisible ships. Which really doesn’t help much, but we’re trying. Peter, this is how it’s going to work. Hostage rescues are an important part of being a superhero. I want you to consider this as a part of your training.” 

“Part of my training?! Her life is in danger and you just want me to think of it as training?!” 

“Let me finish, Parker,” he said in a lighter tone that Peter would have expected having just yelled at him. But before he could, Peter’s phone flashed. He looked down. It was an email from Doc Ock with an attachment. His heart pounded in his throat. Questions raced through his mind, but the overwhelming desire to know what it was pushed them all down. He set it up to play on a nearby TV, and Nat placed her hand firmly on his shoulder as they turned it on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for such a short chapter but it was the only good place to break before the next scene. Come back in a few days to see where Ann ended up ;)


	5. What time is it?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter plays the video and gets an update from Ann.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all! Thank you so much for coming back to read my story. I'm sorry it has been so long since I last updated it- school started again and I haven't had the time. I hope you enjoy!

When Ann woke up, it was in stuttering confusion, gasping for breath. She didn’t even know how long she had been asleep for. She tried to look around but she found her hands were tied at the wrist to a cold metal pole, and her ankles were tied to the floor, leaving her stuck in an awkward kneeling position with her back up, as if she were praying to the pole. She felt an odd breeze on her skin and realized the back of her shirt had been cut open, the torn sides of her blouse laying by her stomach, tickling her ribs with the light fabric. 

The room was dark and damp and smelled of old bones and chemical preservatives- more specifically, preservatives used before dissection to help keep the specimens intact. More tentatively this time, she tried to look around again. The rest of the room was dark other than what seemed to be a spotlight lit over her head. It was probably just the only light on, but it felt as though she should be singing or delivering some grand speech. If nothing else, Doc Ock definitely had a flair for dramatic lighting. But apparently, she had a different sort of performance in mind. 

“Awake, finally” called a voice from the shadows. Ann couldn’t tell where the voice was coming from, which made it all the more terrifying. Doc Ock emerged from the shadows in front of her, her mechanical arms moving smoothly to bring her forward. Ann’s back tensed, very aware of its bareness. She tried to focus her eyes on the strange item the doctor was holding, but fear blurred her vision. She could tell it was long and leathery and tapered at the end. Was it… a whip? 

“Let’s play a little game, shall we?” Octavious mused, cracking the whip against the air. “If you give me what I want, no marks. If you stay quiet, you get as many marks as I see fit.” She was grinning from ear to ear, moving slowly behind Ann. Just her face made Ann’s muscles seize. “And in case you didn’t realize, you don’t want marks.”   
She brought the whip down fast and hard across Ann’s back, tearing her flesh like paper and leaving a long gash. Ann gasped, staggered by the pain. She felt blood drip down her back.   
“And what is it you want?” Ann asked, anticipation settling in her veins. 

“Answers, about your little friend Spider-Man.” Although she knew it was coming, the words were like an electric shock, and Ann felt her stomach drop to the floor. “So start talking.” Ann was quiet for a moment, then spoke. 

“He’s a superhero. He’s saved me three times. He lives in New York…” 

“I know that already!” Doc Ock shrieked and gave Ann another lash. “Tell me something I can use! You know more than you think.” 

“No, I don’t!” Another one lash.   
Ann hugged her body against the pole as if she could get through it and away from the torturous whip. “How long have you known he was Spider-Man?” 

“That depends,” muttered Ann with her cheek pressed against the cold stone, “What time is it?” Octavious yelled in frustration and brought the whip down harder than before. Ann saw stars and was swaying with the effort of trying to keep her body stable. “I found out today,” she panted, “just like you did. Just like the rest of the world did.” She found bitterness in her words that she hadn’t realized was there. Why hadn’t Peter told her? Why didn’t he trust her? 

“Fine then. If you can’t tell me anything about Spider-Man, then tell me about Peter Parker.” Ann clamped her mouth shut as if when she opened it, all his secrets would come spilling out. But in truth, the only thing that would come out would be a scream. And Ann was not going to give Doc Ock the satisfaction. Two more lashes crossed on her back, but it wouldn't be enough. Doc Ock could whip her to the bone before Ann told her anything. But she really hoped she didn’t, because Ann could feel herself losing blood, and a lot of it. 

“Why do you want to hurt him so badly?” Ann asked. She knew she was stalling, and she was pretty sure Doc Ock knew also. Her heart was beating as if she were running a marathon, hoping she would be able to keep the charade up and avoid any more lashes for the time being. Octavious took the bait. 

“Because I’m good at it.” There was silence. Ann tried desperately to think of more questions, but nothing came out. “Well then. If I can’t make you talk, maybe I can make you scream.” 

Ann was overtaken by a horrible stinging that encapsulated her whole body. Salt. Doc Ock was packing salt into her open wounds. 

She couldn't see or hear. Ann could only feel pain. She felt sound being ripped from her throat and her hands flexing and clenching but couldn’t hear the screams or see her fingers. Finally, she stopped pouring. The salt was still there, terrorizing her every movement as tears flowed down her cheeks and she tried to still her body. Any sob she heaved threw open more wounds in her back as the salt mixed with her blood and sweat. 

“She’s loyal, Peter, but let's see how long she can hold out.” 

Ann perked up at the sound of his name. “Peter?” She glanced to her left to see Doc Ock smiling and staring directly into a camera. The whole thing had been taped like she was a circus animal. Anger boiled inside Ann, but before she could even say anything the pole opened up. A mask that shot out and attached itself firmly to Ann’s face. She recognized the familiar scent of the sleeping gas being pumped forcefully into her lungs. She fell like a ragdoll and everything went black.


	6. Cracked but not shattered

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter's reaction to the video

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok I am actually TERRIBLE about uploading and I'm sorry... but it's coronacation time so get ready for lots of chapters! Stay safe everyone <3

The video ended as Ann’s eyes rolled back into her head and she slumped over, unmoving. Peter was in shock; the sounds of Ann’s screams reverberated in his head. She didn’t deserve this. Peter needed to break something, he needed to scream. Maybe his screams would drown out hers. He found himself pushing towards the TV with his hand in a fist and ready to punch, but Nat held him back. She tried to coerce him back into the chair. He could feel the avenger’s emotions pouring into him. Clint’s horror, Nat’s anger, and Tony’s pity. He didn’t want any of it. He shouldered out of Nat’s grip to smash the glass table with three hard blows.

It cracked but didn’t shatter. But another blow and he was sure to break. He saw his reflection in the glass, tears pooling in his eyes. Small bits of the table stuck out of his hand and blood darkened his suit, but he couldn’t feel it. He hoped she knew how much he was sorry- how much he cared for her, and how much he would torture himself if they never got her back. The thought of that- of losing Ann forever- sickened him, and he fell into the chair Nat had been trying to push him into. She tried to give a supportive squeeze on his shoulder but he just shrugged her off. 

No one knew how to break the silence, except Friday. “Sir, I have found the original location of the signal. It is coming from an unknown floor underneath the science museum.” Peter looked up expectantly at Tony. Friday continued, “it was actually quite easy to trace. I believe she wanted us to find her.” 

“Alright, let's go,” said Peter, already out of his chair. 

“Peter, we need a plan first. If you go in there right now with nothing, you will get yourself killed,” Tony said firmly. Peter’s body was willing him to go anyway, but he knew Tony was right. He paused for a moment, thinking. “You will go in first, seemingly alone. We don’t know what kind of situation Ann will be in when we get there or how easy it will be to get her away from danger. So for the most part, it needs to look like you are playing by Octavious’s rules.” 

“But we will be right behind you in case anything goes wrong,” Clint interjected. “You’ll have an earpiece in so we can hear what’s happening and you can communicate easily with us.” 

“Okay. Let's go.” Peter took several steps toward the door. 

“And… I think we need to wait,” Tony finished with a sigh. Peter stopped. 

“Wait? WAIT? Look at what that bitch has put her through in just four hours! Who knows what will happen to her in the next five?!” 

“Peter, listen to me! That video is supposed to make you emotional and ready to charge. What I’m telling you is, she is expecting you to barge right in there and demand Ann back. And then, she will kill you both. I think we need to wait for you to cool down.” The words sank in. He was right- he always was. “We will wait for three hours, and then go.” Tears ran down Peter’s face. He didn’t think he could handle waiting three more hours. But if he wanted to bring her home safe, he had too.


	7. Salsa Dancing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter and the avengers begin their rescue mission for Ann!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Told ya! I'm going on an uploading spree tonight. Enjoy! Don't forget to leave comments and kudos as you go ;)

It had only been two hours when Peter’s phone dinged again. It was Doc Ock, and attached to it was a picture of Ann slumped over and tied to a chair. Her braids were falling apart and hair was plastered all over her face. Blood stained the ropes around her. The caption read: ‘All tied up and no place to go. Three hours, Peter.’ The image made him sick with hatred. He flopped on his bed and just cried.

***

Ann woke up again- this time tied to a chair. Once again, the more she struggled, the tighter they got. And as she relaxed, so did they. But they didn’t ever relax quite enough for her to fall out of them as she had earlier. It was almost like they were learning. Ann wished she knew what time it was. How much longer did she have to live? No, she shouldn’t think of it like that. Peter would come and save her. But the words of Doc Ock when she had taken her chilled her as she remembered them- “You will come alone and unarmed by midnight tonight, or you guys can say your goodbyes now”. She didn’t want to fight Peter, she just wanted to kill him. 

She was scared. She normally didn’t like to admit that, but this time it was alright. The worst part was, she couldn’t even fight back. Even just barely moving hurt like hell as she pulled on the fresh wounds in her back. She could do nothing. She didn’t even know what to hope for. If Peter came, Doc Ock might kill him. But the thought of more lashes, more sleeping gas, or a straight bullet through her head made her body tense with fear. 

“Hello, doll,” it was her again. Ann recoiled into her chair as if she could hide. She hated the feeling of helplessness she got just from hearing Octavious’s voice. “Don’t worry, I’m not here to hurt you again...yet.” Doc Ock came into view in front of her. “I just want to explain something to you about our relationship.” Ann sat quietly, not making eye contact and staring intently at the floor. “I am the hunter. Peter is the prey. And you are just the bait.” A sick smile spread across her face. “I don’t really want to hurt you. But the more I hurt you, the more I hurt Peter. And the minute you come between me and my kill,” she leaned in close and pressed her finger against Ann’s chest, her eyes wide with fantasy, “you become prey.” That seemed to be all she had to say, so she began sauntering off, quite satisfied with herself.

“Bullshit, you’ll kill me either way.” Even Ann was surprised at her words, but they just slipped out and boy, they felt good. Doc Ock smirked, almost seeming… impressed. 

“Maybe I will. But there are some things worse than dying, Ann.” She disappeared into the darkness and Ann was left with a hollow feeling in her chest.

***  
For whatever reason, Doc Ock decided that security cameras were a good idea for a secret layer… you know, in case superheroes might come in and steal her TV. Whatever the logic behind them, they were very useful to Tony, Peter, Nat, and Clint. Nat very easily hacked them, and they now got a live feed of what was happening. Peter watched the entire interaction with Ann and Doc Ock with a set jaw. He would save her. She had gone through enough. Peter entered the museum, making his way carefully down to the basement through the paleontology hall. The older avengers huddled around one of the monitors until he came into view. 

He had found an odd secret door- a failure of design or building, maybe. But it opened right into her layer, just as Friday said it would. He saw Ann there still tied to that damn chair. She was awake but just staring at the wall. She looked as though she had lost all hope. It was not his Ann. She was sparkling and radiant. Nonetheless, his heart thudded with pleasure just seeing her here, alive, and not screaming in pain. If she looked up, she would see him climbing carefully on a long metal beam about twenty feet overhead, looking for a good place to drop down. Something in him longed for her to do so, so she would know that he was here. 

That she was going to be ok.

Doc Ock was nowhere in sight. It was exactly as she had said on camera- Ann was bait. But it was a trap Peter happily fell into. As quietly as possible, he jumped from his beam and hit the ground running. Ann saw him and her eyes widened, filled with so many emotions. Relief was not one of them. He saw her shaking her head in a violent no. But he kept running to her, his adrenaline kicking into high gear. 

“Peter, you have to get out of here!” She said with an urgency he had only ever heard in her when they might be late on a school project. 

“It’s kind of hard to save you from up there,” he mentioned and began sawing at her ropes. 

“Peter, this is serious! She’s going to kill us both! She has traps set up everywhere! So please get out of here! I’m trying to save you!” 

“Likewise!” Peter paused for a moment and cupped his hands on her face. He gazed fully into her gorgeous hazel eyes, even though all she saw was a red mask. “I am never going to leave you behind. So please, cooperate with me and I can get you out of here.” Finally, relief crept onto her face as she relaxed; he cut the last of her ropes and slung her arm over his shoulder. He tried to move as quickly as possible without hurting her. She would whisper things like “I’m fine, I’m fine…” but the pain was clear on her face. 

Peter’s heart ached looking at her- still trying to be strong when he was supposed to be saving her. His best friend.  
There was a loud clang, and Peter found himself staring into glass. A box dropped on top of them, trapping them. 

“No no no no no no!” Ann flung herself away from Peter’s support and started banging on the glass. “It’s sleeping gas, Peter. I don’t know how I’ll wake up, or if I’ll ever wake up…” the wounds on her back started bleeding again, but she didn’t seem to notice. She kept banging on the glass, hoping it would break. It didn’t. Peter watched in horror, realizing what a mistake he had made. He tried banging on the glass too once or twice before giving up. “Please, please…” Ann staggered back, tears streaming down her face. She turned to him, trembling and afraid. “Peter…” she fell, and he caught her in his arms as if he were dipping her during a salsa dance, and laid her gently to the floor. 

Peter held her and gazed into her face, pulling off his mask so he could see her more clearly. He felt the warmth of her skin and stared at her. He found himself trying to memorize everything about her. The curve of her lips, the shape of her jaw, the feel of her hair, but he stopped. He couldn’t do it, because he realized he had it all memorized already. It was unnerving how peaceful she looked now compared to the naked panic just a few moments ago. “I’m so sorry,” he muttered. She would never hear him, but he wanted to say it. 

It took Peter an entire minute more to be affected by the gas. He laid down slowly and wrapped his arms around Ann, remarking sadly how perfectly their bodies fit together as he drifted off to sleep.


	8. Give me a knife

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part two of the rescue mission!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Third chapter tonight! Happy reading!

As soon as Doc Ock saw Peter and Ann asleep, she willed the ropes to lift the glass prison away. Others snaked around each teenager’s waist and unceremoniously ripped them apart from one another. Peter’s first instinct was to try and shoot webs to pull himself out of her grip but soon found his arms were held down as well. Both were dangling in the air and struggling in their bonds as if they could fly out and get to the other. Peter’s face displayed visible confusion as he tried to figure out how the ropes were functioning. Ann seemed to just have given up, and hung limply in the air, trying not to focus on how high she was. 

“What are these things?” Asked Peter, kicking his legs. 

“Ah, I’m so glad you asked. These ropes are a special invention of mine. They react to whatever I wish.” her eyes darkened in pleasure as she squeezed Peter’s ropes tighter, leaving him gasping for air. 

“Stop!” Ann cried.

“Oh, I’m just getting started,” said Doc Ock. Peter was thrown and tied into the chair Ann had previously been in. Ann, however, was brought higher and higher. She began to panic. More light flooded the basement and a large basin was visible, filled with a strange liquid Ann quickly recognized as Fluoroantimonic acid, strong enough to disintegrate human flesh. The smell of fluorine from the acid was so strong she almost fainted. A lonely rope hung above it, and the one holding Ann wrapped around it and secured itself to a beam overhead, leaving Ann dangling over the acid pool. Her heart raced, her head whipped from side to side, looking for a way out. She found none. 

The ropes were digging into her skin and her wounds. She tried to breathe through the pain and focus on things that made her happy. Like Peter. She stared at him, looking up at her with sad and tired eyes. If either one looked long enough at each other, they could see their hearts breaking. Doc Ock appeared beside him, grinning maniacally, sending Ann’s body into a frenzy. She could not stand to watch her best friend die. Especially never having told him…  
Without warning, Doc Ock punched Peter across the cheek. He sputtered but did not react. He was only staring at Ann. 

“Peter, I’m so sorry,” Ann said. “I-” 

“Oh, enough of this!” Shouted Octavious, willing one of Ann’s ropes to gag her. Ann was more frustrated with the gag than anything else. She found herself biting into it, trying desperately to gnaw it away. 

“Let her go, please,” pleaded Peter. Ann was taken aback at the sight of him begging. It was scarier than seeing him angry or demanding that she be let go. Pleading was a final resort. Pleading was what you did when you had nothing left to do. Pleading meant she was going to die. She took a deep breath and looked at Peter, never breaking eye contact, trying her best to make her expression seem at peace. 

The ropes above her slowly splintered thread by thread. Doc Ock was thoroughly enjoying watching Spider-Man’s eyes widen as each one broke. His mind screamed and his heart ached. It was all his fault. While she seemed to be controlling herself pretty well, Peter was losing it. He strained against his ropes even though he knew it was useless. If these were to be her final moments, he wanted her to know that he was fighting until the very last one. 

Ann’s eyes burned with tears but she did not let them fall. Her stomach knotted and her breathing became fast and heavy, but she still tried her best to conceal it. She would not let Peter or Doc Ock see her a mess before she died. The ropes split, and Ann felt her weight being pulled down, down, down towards the acid. 

***

A blur of black and red hurtled over the basin and caught Ann mid-fall. She and Black Widow crashed to the floor. Ann, having been so prepared for death, drank in her next few breaths as if they were bread given to her after she had not eaten in weeks. She stared in amazement as Nat quickly cut through her remaining ropes. Was she just saved… by BLACK WIDOW? Her hero since she was a little girl was currently saving her life. She was bursting with fangirl energy but was quickly distracted. 

“I told you to come alone!” Shouted Doc Ock, reeling towards Peter, blade raised. He didn’t even seem to notice. He was staring at Ann grinning as if he had won the lottery. He had this planned the whole time, she realized. But his euphoria was also soon dispatched as Doc Ock brought her blade down to sever his head. As the metal sliced toward him, Iron Man burst in and blasted her back into the wall. Hawkeye even appeared from the top of the stairs, firing arrows left and right to try and pin Octavious’s arms down. Ann was starstruck and honestly, flattered. But when she saw Peter still struggling to get free, she knew what she had to do. 

“Give me a knife,” she demanded. Black Widow looked shocked at the upfront request. “I’ll take care of Peter, and you take care of her.”   
Nat smiled and handed her the knife, winked, and then ran off to join the battle. Ann ran- well more so quickly stumbled- over to Peter. Her body ached and begged her to stop, but she would not until she reached him. She began hurriedly sawing at the ropes around his ankles. 

“You know, this wasn’t really a part of my plan,” he said. He seemed a little disappointed that Ann had to be the one to save him. 

“Well my plan didn’t include hanging over fluoroantimonic acid and being saved by the avengers, so I guess today is just full of surprises.” He laughed- he couldn’t stay upset for long. She moved onto the ropes around his stomach. 

“I thought it was a piranha solution,” he replied, a little bemused. 

“No, you could smell the fluorine. At least from where I was.” She shuddered. Another thought struck her. “I can’t believe you brought half of the avengers to save me! I honestly didn’t believe I was that important.” 

“Hey, you’re friends with Spider-Man,” he replied cheerily, “that can get you a lot of things.” 

“How about one of those things is out of here?” Tony said through the earpiece. “I can hear you two flirting. Get back to the jet and we’ll meet you there.” Peter’s face flushed, and Ann finished cutting him loose. He swept her into his arms and with a well-aimed web, pulled them back up to the beam. They were up so fast she didn’t even have time to scream- she pressed her head into his chest and chose to listen to the beat of his heart instead of the wind rushing past her ears.

Peter let her down onto the pole. Ann was immediately dizzy from the height and grabbed Peter’s shoulder. “Come on,” he urged, “Let’s go.” He held out his hand. But Ann couldn’t move. She was paralyzed. Peter had an idea to get her moving. “Hey, forget about the pole for a second. Think of it as if you are running in a soccer play, and your coach will be upset with you if you step out of line. I’ll be holding your hand the whole time, ok?” 

Ann slowly nodded and laced her fingers through his. She didn’t look down at Tony blasting Doc Ock or Black Widow shooting at her arms, or Clint walking closer and closer into the battle, still slinging arrows every other moment. She stared straight ahead at Peter and imagined. She could smell the grass, see the field as the other players ran across it towards the goal. 

When suddenly, the image fell away. The smell of grass escaped her and was replaced by the copper smell of blood. The players faded and were replaced with rushing bodies colliding and shooting. A sharp pain came from her right side. She looked down to see an arrow protruding from her stomach and Doc Ock’s ropes holding Clint’s bow. Peter turned around to see why she had stopped and immediately grew pale. “No…” he breathed. He couldn’t lose her. Not when they had come this far. She started to wobble, and Peter quickly scooped her back into his arms. “It’s ok,” he muttered into her ear. “It’s going to be ok.” Blood spilled from her wound and she struggled to breathe. Every inhale and exhale came with a jabbing pain in her side. Her blood was seeping steadily, and she was fighting for consciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Please feel free to comment and let me know how you like (or if you like) the story! :D


	9. House Cat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter and the avengers rush to help Ann and some bottled up feelings come to light ;)

Peter cried while he ran and stared at his friend, racing through the museum. “Hey, I don’t think you can handle props yet,” said a voice from behind them. Tony flew up beside him. “Give her to me.” Peter did, somewhat reluctantly. Ann wondered dimly, did Tony Stark just call me a prop? “Friday, give me a quick scan.” 

“Height: 5 feet, four inches. Weight: 136 pounds. Blood type: A+.” 

“Have a surgical table ready for me when we get to the jet.” 

“Yes, sir.”   
Tony landed on the ship and gently placed Ann on the table. “Do you mind if I move your shirt?” He asked, ever the gentleman. There wasn’t even that much of her shirt left to move. 

“Mr. Stark, please do whatever it is you need to keep me alive.” Tony smiled. The girl’s got heart. Peter landed in the jet a couple of seconds later, panting. He raced over to Ann and fell to his knees beside her. He placed his hand on the back of her head, and in a rush of impulse, pressed his lips firmly against hers. She tasted like blood and coconut body wash. Her eyes shot open in surprise, but then she relaxed and kissed him back. She wanted to press her body into his, but the arrow in her side told her that wasn’t going to happen. She moved away, gasping from pain and pleasure. 

“What was that for?” She whispered, face as red as a berry and smiling from ear to ear. She could feel Tony staring at them from behind her, but she didn’t care. 

“I love you,” Peter said, his voice cracking with tears. “I love you so much. And I’m so sorry that it took us almost dying for me to realize that. I promise I will always protect you, and I will never let you go again.” His eyes sparkled with passion. 

“I love you too,” she whispered softly. They stared at each other, drinking in the moment. What they had both wanted for so long had become a reality. If only either of them had the guts to say it sooner.

Friday spoke, tearing them out of their trance. “I don’t know if this is a bad time, but her intestines and her liver are badly damaged. The probability of survival is 20%. Estimated length of surgery: 7 ½ hours.” The words hung thick in the air, stifling everyone in the room. 

“Well, it seems like I’m going to be the one letting you go,” Ann said, tears gently falling down her cheeks. 

“No, that’s not going to happen,” he said, inching closer to her and wiping the tears away with his thumb. If I didn’t lose you too a piranha solution, I’m sure as hell not going to lose you to this.” 

“I told you,” she replied, exasperated, “it was fluoroantimonic acid.” Peter rolled his eyes with a smile. 

“No, she’s right,” Tony interjected. “You could smell the-” “fluorine,” they both finished together. 

“I like her,” Tony muttered under his breath.

“I’m scared, Peter,” she whispered, eyes shining with tears. 

“I know. I am too,” he said, stroking her head and winding his fingers in her hair. He had no idea how to ease the inner turmoil rumbling in his stomach, but he knew how to ease her. “So talk to me. Describe what happened. Describe the pain.” Tony was confused. Was he seriously trying to get her to describe what happened so nearly after the event? That’s just plain stupid. She needed time to process… “because I know you like detail,” he finished. Peter was right. Ann took great comfort in the details of things, which is why she was such a great chemist. Everything happens for a specific reason. And if one gets sloppy with the details, things could end up disastrously. 

“Well, she whipped me, and that hurt. A lot.” She winced at the memory. “And then she literally salted the wounds, and that hurt more. And then she told me that she was doing it all to hurt you, and that hurts the most. Because I don’t like to see you hurt.” She reached up and wiped the blood from his upper lip. He was still bleeding slowly from where Doc Ock had punched him. “Did you know that you’re bleeding?” She asked, her voice barely above a whisper. 

“I’m telling you, that is not my main concern right now.” he placed his other hand on top of hers, holding it lightly. 

She drew in a ragged breath. “Did… did black widow save me?” She asked as if she seriously questioned it; like it couldn’t be real. Peter laughed, and Ann’s heart leaped at the sight of his stunning smile. 

“Yes, she did.” 

“Oh my god! Could you tell her thank you for me?” 

“Tell her yourself,” came a voice from behind Peter. Ann couldn’t lift her head to look, but she recognized it immediately. 

“Oh my god oh my god oh my god…” Even though she didn’t show it because she couldn’t really move, she was freaking out. 

“Peter, could you do like the fan-girly thing with my wrist?” Peter took her hand and moved her wrist back and forth so Ann was fanning herself. “I’m sorry Black Widow- Natasha- Ma’am? I’m just such a big fan, I mean you are just… a total badass.” Nat laughed and came to kneel next to her. 

“Hey, you’re not so bad yourself, Ann.” Ann’s eyes widened in joy. She looked at Peter. 

“Is there a video of that somewhere?” Everyone chuckled. 

“Sir, the surgery is ready. I have anesthesia prepared for Ann.” Ann’s face became ashen. 

“No, Peter, I can’t do that. If I go to sleep I’ll wake up tied to a chair, or suspended over acid, or, or… maybe I won’t wake up.” 

“Hey, it’ll be ok,” Peter said softly. He moved closer to her until they were only inches apart. She resisted the urge to kiss him again. “I’ll be here the whole time.” 

Ann scoffed in disbelief. “You are not going to sit through 7 ½ hours of surgery. You could hardly handle the frog dissection at school.” Tony tried to stifle a laugh. Unsuccessfully, but he tried. “I don’t think you are going to do well when it's me being cut open.” 

Peter sighed. “Ok, you’re right. But I’ll be here as you fall asleep, and I will be here when you wake up, so it will be like I never left.” 

“Ok,” she said. 

“But please take a shower, and clean your nose. And keep playing with my hair like that. It makes me feel like a house cat and it is weirdly calming.” 

“I will do all those things,” he said with a smile. “But I just have one thing to say: you are not a house cat. You’re a fucking tiger.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cute, right? I couldn't stop smiling while I wrote this. XD


	10. Surgery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> During Ann's surgery, the Avengers discuss the events of the previous night. Aunt May pays a visit.

Friday lowered the mask onto Ann’s face. “Thank you so much. It’s been an honor to meet you all.”   
Her eyes fluttered closed and she fell asleep. Peter stared at her, and watched her breathing, winding his fingers through her curls. He slowly moved around her to her back. Cuts from the wip ran all over her. His eyes stung from the sight, and a few tears fell onto her table. He gathered a damp cloth and began to slowly pat down the cuts, soaking up the blood. 

“She’s going to need stitches,” Nat remarked. “I can do them for her later.” 

“She is going to freak out when she finds out that you did her stitches,” he said. He couldn’t see her, but he felt her smile. 

“She’s going to be ok.” 

“I know,” he sighed. He finished cleaning her up as best he could without getting in the way of Friday, busily working on removing the arrow from her side. 

The jet docked in the Avengers building and Peter reluctantly left to go join the others back in the conference room. He felt their eyes on him as he walked in, slumping and tear-stained. “You can all yell at me later,” he said monotonously. 

“Yell at you?” Tony looked legitimately confused, which was not something seen often on the face of Tony Stark. “Peter, you did great.” He walked closer to Peter and tried to look him in the eye, but his gaze kept straying to the blood on his face. 

“But I couldn’t handle it on my own,” he said, “you guys had to come in and fix it. She had to save me.” 

“Yeah, and she was good at it,” scoffed Nat, sounding impressed. “But that doesn’t mean you were bad,” she continued. “This was your first hostage rescue against a dangerous villain, holding the girl you love captive.”   
Peter almost corrected her at the last statement but realized she was right. “Thank you guys,” he said. 

“Now, go get washed up,” said Tony. “It’s driving me nuts.”

***

Peter walked numbly back to his room in the compound. He had it for nights where he stayed here late to train or burning the midnight oil with Tony in the lab. It was small and efficient. A twin bed lay squished into the corner next to some clothing drawers. A clock sat on top of them, showing the time: 1:38 am. Peter hadn’t realized how tired he was until now. He collapsed onto the bed, exhausted but happy. He finally had Ann. He fell asleep with a smile.

***

“Peter. Peter. Peter!” Peter woke up to a female voice calling his name. He hadn’t even changed out of his suit, and there was dried blood crusted on his face. “Peter!” It was Karen. “Ann will be waking up in thirty minutes.” 

“What?! Uhh… Thank you, Karen.” Peter leaped out of bed and went to wash his face. He rummaged the drawers for something- anything- that he could wear that was better than the Spider-Man suit. He found black jeans and a nerdy science shirt that had one atom saying to the other, ‘I lost an electron!’ and the other says, ‘are you positive?’ Ann’s favorite. He pulled it on and quickly brushed his hair. 

When he opened the door, he saw Tony standing there, about to knock. He had a flower bouquet in his hand. “Thanks, Tony, but you’re not really my type.” Tony rolled his eyes lovingly. 

“They’re for the girl.” 

“Thanks, Mr. Stark,” he said. He took the flowers carefully in his hands, and he was off. 

He soon found out that Ann had been moved to a bed in the compound from the jet. He beelined for her room and opened the door, trying to be as quiet as possible. Ann was there, lying peacefully on her back. The surgery had finished about an hour ago. He crept quietly and sat on the stool beside her. 

Her hair was everywhere, barely held together by what used to be braids. He tucked a strand of it carefully behind her ear and let his hand rest on the pillows near her head. He could sit here forever, although awake Ann was a lot more fun. But knowing that she was safe and within arms reach was something so sweet that he had taken for granted before. He listened to her heartbeat with his spidey sense. Every pulse brought him new joy. She was here. Alive. And she loved him back. 

But sitting here next to her while she laid unconscious he felt a painful knot in his stomach. Suddenly, he was whisked away into his memory, and Ann sat beside him, clutching his arm and shaking with sobs. Her face was small and young, but red and blotchy from crying. Ann’s curly hair was tangling itself as she moved. She was squeezing his arm as hard as she could, but Peter did not complain. He followed her gaze to land upon a new face in the bed where Ann had been. The woman in the bed looked peaceful. Her own curls, the same as Ann’s, made a halo around her head resting on the pillow. It was Ann’s mom.

Peter watched in silence as eleven year old him consoled Ann as best he could, but he knew he couldn’t ease her fully. He tore his gaze from her and stared across the room at the man he knew to be Ann’s father, sitting low in a chair and staring at his wife. Peter watched him carefully and saw emptiness in his eyes. Instead of looking like a man losing love, he looked as if it had already been lost for weeks. Cold detachment settled in his body language as he watched apathetically as the doctors pulled her plug. The tone of the flatline echoed through the room, and a single tear flowed down the man’s cheek. He stood up from his chair and left the room, doors swinging from his exit. Peter recalled Ann would not see her father until a full two days later, reeking of alcohol. 

Ann was screaming at his arm, as the doctors cleared the room. His heart seemed to slow, every beat a painful one as he stared helplessly at her. Her screams turned silent as she sat, quaking and crying into his shoulder.

***

Peter’s attention snapped back to the present, back to sixteen-year-old Ann. He shook his head quickly, clearing his mind of the memory and messing up his hair. Her eyes slowly began to open, and she took a few deep breaths. 

“Hello gorgeous,” he whispered. He thought he would feel weird calling her that- being so deeply in love when they were just friends a few hours ago. But he didn’t feel weird. He felt right. And, he supposed, he had truly been deeply in love with her for years. Only now he got to tell her.   
Butterflies erupted in Ann’s stomach. 

“Hello, nerd,” she chuckled, half-pointing lazily at his shirt. “That’s my favorite of yours,” she said. 

“I know,” he laughed softly and planted a kiss on her forehead. Apparently it was a tomato plant because her face instantly became red. 

“Now are those flowers for me or are you just carrying them around as an accessory?” 

“What do you think?” He asked with a smirk, picking one out of the arrangement and handing it to Ann. She held it up to her nose and inhaled, and a smile slowly crept across her face. 

“Thank you,” she muttered. “For everything.”

He opened his mouth to respond when someone burst into the room, panting. “Ann! Peter!” 

“May!” Peter stood up to hug her. She grasped him hard enough that Ann was concerned he couldn’t breathe. May had been like a second mother to Ann, and she had stayed many nights over at their house to get away from her father before she could afford her own place. 

“Oh, Ann,” she said, finally releasing Peter, and coming over to the side of her bed. “I heard what happened at school, it went all over the news. I’m so sorry, girl.” 

She reached out to give Ann a hug, but Peter stopped her. It seems that May finally took in Ann’s situation. “What happened?” 

“I… sort of got hit by an arrow,” Ann said, almost nonchalantly. 

“WHAT?!” Ann almost laughed at the look on her face. 

“It’s ok,” Ann said, “I’m alright. Tony fixed me. Well, Friday, but still.” May relaxed a bit. “Although I am late for soccer practice.” 

Peter took her hand. “I think you might be missing that for a while,” he said softly. She nodded. He squeezed her hand tightly and kissed it. 

“Are you two finally together?” May squealed. Peter jumped. Ann guessed he had forgotten she was there, and laughed, sharp pains pinpointing her side. 

“Yeah. We are.” 

May smiled softly. “Well, Tony owes me twenty bucks.”


	11. You become the prey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter and the Avengers talk about next steps for Ann and Peter with the press. An update about Doc Ock.

Peter and May left Ann in her room to get some rest. “I’m really proud of you Peter,” said May. 

“Thanks. I’m just glad she’s alright.” he glanced into her room. 

“Hey, Tony said something about a meeting. I don’t think you’ll be coming home for a while, especially with her here, so I put some extra stuff in your room.” 

“Okay, thanks for letting me know.” Peter gave May one last hug before he walked off to the conference room. He could feel her protective eyes watching him as he left. 

Walking into the conference room this time had a different feel. The avengers were more relaxed and so was he. His mind still strayed back to Ann, asleep peacefully in her room. Even though he had only just left her, he felt the need to go back just to make sure she was still there. When he entered, he felt the electricity of an abrupt end of a conversation that was clearly about him. He felt tense energy between Nat and Tony, suggesting they were on different sides of the conversation. Clint sat back in his chair, neutral as ever. 

“How’s she feeling?” Asked Nat. She seemed to be becoming very fond of Ann. 

“She went back to sleep,” he replied. Nat nodded. 

“I know this is all very recent, but we need to talk about the next steps for you and Ann. Especially now that the world knows your identity,” said Tony. Peter had actually forgotten about that. He had been so focused on getting Ann back that he didn’t think about that until now. He started to figure out what everyone had been arguing about.

“Don’t worry,” said Tony. “The press is actually having a good response to it- kind of like when I told everyone I was Iron Man.” He smiled at the memory, eyes glazed as he stared off into space. 

“We’ve already gotten requests asking you to come on TV,” Nat finished for him, her sharp tone poking Tony out of his daze. Peter fell back into a chair, shocked. TV? 

“What about Ann? How does she fit into all of this? May said that her kidnapping went on the news.” Some kids in the auditorium must have taken a video of the whole thing. 

“They want her on there too,” said Tony, observing Peter’s expressions carefully. 

“No, she won’t like that at all. She gets nervous speaking in front of our class.” 

“You can give that answer now, but I’m afraid the press isn’t going to stop… well, pressing until they can get her on TV. You two have sort of become national sweethearts.” 

Peter could picture them both, smiling and waving at cameras, his arm linked through hers. It seemed beautiful and exciting, but he still knew how much Ann would hate it. 

“But you can still say no. You guys are still young, and press exposure can be really stressful,” Nat said, as if reading his mind. 

“Well let's just tell them no for now,” Peter said. “I don’t think either of us could handle talking about this right now.” Tony looked at him understandingly and ordered Friday to tell the press. 

“And there’s more,” said Nat. “When Ann heals, we think she should get some training. You know, basic martial arts and defense.” Nat said it so casually it was as if she was asking him to hand her something across the table. 

“What? Why?” 

“Well, she’s Spider-Man’s girlfriend- a public figure now, whether you like it or not. She will become a huge target for villains or people that want a high ransom price.” Peter let that soak in. There was silence in the room. He hadn’t thought about that. He hated the idea of her ever being in danger again, but it didn’t really seem like there was any way of avoiding that. Nat shot Tony a nervous look that set Peter on edge. He read something underneath their expressions. 

“Is there something you guys aren’t telling me?” 

Nat took a deep breath, and Clint nodded encouragingly at her. “After you, Ann, and Tony left the museum, Clint and I were left to take care of Doc Ock. We were faring pretty well- we had disabled her machine, and she was trapped on the floor in it. But there must have been like an escape hatch or something because all of a sudden… she was gone.” The words hit Peter like a truck. He hated himself for never wondering what had happened to Doc Ock; for never checking up to make sure she was gone.   
He had just assumed they had taken care of it and she was in a jail cell somewhere. 

“Didn’t you look for her?” He asked, his tone short. 

“Of course we did,” Nat said, offended. Peter was panicking. Not for himself- but for Ann. His memory shot back to the conversation he saw between Ann and Doc Ock. ‘But the minute you come between me and my kill, you become prey.’ Now it all made sense. Why Nat wanted to train Ann. Doc Ock was going to come after her again- but this time, she would be out to hurt them both.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I know this is kind of a boring chapter, but more exciting stuff coming soon!


	12. Straight A student

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ann hears the news about Doc Ock and goes back to school for a rocky first day.

Peter was dreading his upcoming conversation with Ann. He couldn’t bear to tell her that Doc Ock was still out there, but he knew he was doing the best one to do it. He understood Ann in ways no one else ever would. It had been a month since her rescue, and she was nearly ready to go back to school. Her recovery had been long and grueling, and every day Peter had come after school to see her and give her the homework. Her teachers had insisted that she was exempt from all assignments, but Ann was vigilant. She saw no reason why she should be exempt- especially, in her words, if she’s just “lying around in bed all day.” She must be the only student in the world that managed to keep straight A’s after an abduction and life-saving surgery. At least the only one that Peter knew of. 

He took a deep breath and pushed her door open. Ann was walking around slowly, gaining more power with every step. Peter’s heart warmed at the sight. 

“Ann, I have to talk to you about something.” 

“Oh, hi Peter!” She said cheerfully, a smile spreading across her face at his arrival. “What’s going on?” Peter walked her back to her bed, and they sat on the edge of it- Ann’s legs dangling and Peter’s feet flat on the floor. He took a deep breath. 

“Remember when we rescued you, and we brought you into the jet?” 

“Yeah…” Ann said, confused. Her eyes darted around his face, trying to understand, Peter couldn’t hold it in very much longer. 

“Well Nat and Clint stayed behind to deal with Doc Ock, but she… got away.” Peter slumped over. 

“Got away?” She sounded small and heartbroken. Ann faced Peter, her mouth hanging open, bursting with questions Peter could not brace himself for. 

“They tried to find her, but we don’t know where she went.” But instead of grilling him as he expected, Ann took a few deep breaths and snuggled closer to him. She rested her head on his shoulder, and he could hear her shaky breaths as she tried to breathe through her tears. Peter reached over and grasped her hand, holding it tight. “I won’t ever let her hurt you,” he whispered, putting his arm protectively around her shoulders. 

“I know. But some things are out of your control.” She put her arms around his waist. “But thanks for trying.” Peter’s heart ached. They stayed there for what seemed like an eternity, chest rising and falling in sync and feeling the warmth of one another. 

***

Ann returned to school six weeks later. She tried to keep a low profile, but when you are kidnapped in front of the entire school and then saved by the avengers, that was impossible. Ann and Peter entered together and were met with an eruption of cheers. People were coming up to them, (well Peter mostly), clapping him on the back, shaking his hand, and even asking for selfies with him, which made him totally uncomfortable. 

But at least when she was with Peter, it was better. Even though she hated all the people swarming around her, it was comforting just to have him nearby. Someone she could throw a quick glance to as if to say: “I hate this too. But we can get through it.” 

It was completely different when she was alone. She wasn’t getting any less attention- she could hear people whispering as she went by and staring her down. It was just that they weren’t upfront about it. The worst part was the way all the girls looked at him. Like all of a sudden, he was the best, most fascinating guy in the world, (which he was), but they didn’t care about any of that. They just wanted to be with Spider-Man. 

Unfortunately for them, that spot was taken. Ann smiled to herself. But that also meant that they stared at her like she was scum. Like she didn’t deserve to be here. It was either that or a look of disgust that seemed to read, “I can’t believe Spider-Man is with her.”  
Ann tried her hardest to ignore it and focus on school as she always did, but even in chemistry her mind was wandering, and she could hardly even balance an equation. 

Frustrated with herself, she asked to go to the bathroom. 

Among other things, she despised the way the teachers looked at her whenever she spoke to them. They all tried to look understanding and caring, but really they had no idea what she was going through. She walked swiftly through the halls and passed three bathrooms until she found the one Peter and her had agreed to meet earlier that day. 

She slipped quietly into the one-person bathroom, even though there was no one around. She found Peter in there, already waiting.   
She sighed, exhausted, and slumped against his chest. “I can’t believe you’ve had to deal with six weeks of this shit,” she said, and felt his arms wrap around her in a familiar embrace. 

“I know,” he said, giving her a squeeze. “But at least now we can do it together.” Ann nodded, sighing softly into his shirt. “It gets better, I promise.” He kissed the top of her head lightly. 

Ann muttered her thanks. “I should be getting back to class,” she said, although she really wanted to stay. She really wanted to stay and watch his face light up the way she suspected only happened when she was around, feel his strong arms holding her and the heat that radiated from his body.   
Against her previous logic, she leaned up and brushed her lips softly against his. It sent a shiver down his spine. He leaned into her and kissed her, his lips warm and comforting. 

Okay, now she really had to go, before she got trapped in this love vortex forever. Not that she would mind it. He pulled away thinking the same things. “I’ll see you at the compound tonight,” he said softly. They slipped out together and walked their separate ways, the feel of each other still lingering on their lips.


	13. Chemistry homework

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ann trains with Nat and spends some quality time with Peter

Ann had been training with black widow for the last few weeks. It was exhilarating, and she looked forward to it every day. It was amazing how much emotion you could pour out into a punching bag. She had yet to actually spar with Nat, as she was still recovering, but being able to unwind and talk to her while punching, kicking, and throwing things was the highlight of her day. Other than seeing Peter, of course. 

“I just don’t know if I can handle any more of this,” Ann breathed out between hits. Her curly hair brushed her sweaty neck in a ponytail secured behind her head. Nat watched her carefully, calculating and critical, but also understanding. “I just kind of wish I could go back to the shadows, just living my life without everyone watching me.” 

Nat came forward, nodding her head. “I know how you feel,” she said, starting some rounds of her own. Ann watched her carefully, studying her form. “But there’s nothing much you can do about it now. Just keep your head up, and let those bitches know who they’re working with.” Nat finished with a smile. Ann flashed one back and they kept going, laughing and talking in between exercises.

At the end of her training session, Ann laid down on the floor, exhausted and breathing hard. Nat watched her with a knowing look. 

“Come on, get up,” she said. 

“Sorry. Can’t,” replied Ann, who quite literally felt too tired to move, but was smiling like a maniac. Nat reached her hand down, and Ann took it and pulled herself up. “  
You’re getting stronger,” said Nat. It wasn’t so much a compliment as stating a fact. Ann was delighted for what she still took as a compliment, but felt a heavy heart and a nagging brain telling her she had chemistry homework to be done. 

Normally she would be excited, but she was worried that she wouldn’t be able to focus. Nat knew the expression on her face well. “Go off and finish your homework. And I   
can finish you later.” 

Ann laughed. “That’s okay, I’m already done. I think if I try to kick anything else, my leg will just fall off.” She shook her leg for emphasis and forced them to move towards the door of the training studio. “See you later, Nat!” she called over her shoulder as she walked back to Peter’s room. 

***

Peter was playing quietly on his phone waiting for Ann to come back from her training. She came in, looking refreshed after a hot shower. She had already gotten into her PJ’s, which were basically just an oversized T-shirt and some random shorts. She had her hair tied up in a messy bun, and plopped down at his desk with her chemistry notebook open and ready. 

“What, I don’t even get a hello?” Peter asked, scooching her over so they could share the chair. 

“Hey!” she protested. She tried pushing against him, but it was futile. She shrugged and continued reading over her notes as if nothing had changed. 

“Earth to Ann! Earth to Ann!” Peter waved his hand over between her eyes and the paper. Despite how hard she tried, her face broke into a giggle. Peter’s heart skipped a beat. She finally turned to address him. 

“Hello, Peter,” she said, raising her eyebrow. Peter smiled, satisfied. “Can I do my homework now?” 

“Sure. Just as long as you know that I have already done it.” 

Ann rolled her eyes and let a few more giggles escape. Peter had always been competitive with her academics wise, and they were pretty evenly matched on somethings like coding, which they both loved, or history, which they both hated. But on others, like chemistry, Ann was worlds ahead of him. 

“And so I will do it better,” she retorted, turning once again to her paper. 

“Oh, okay,” he said getting out of the chair and walking behind her, leaning against the back of the chair close enough to smell her shampoo. “Let the best student win.” 

“Well, I already have,” Ann said, deeply enjoying the confused look on his face. She leaned craned her neck back to whisper into his ear. “I got you out of my chair.” 

***

It took Ann less than an hour to do her homework. Eventually, Peter had come over to her to work on his language paper on the Odyssey. They both finished at about the same time, and Ann gathered her books in her hands and headed towards the door. 

“Night, Peter,” she said, yawning. 

“Wait!” Peter called from his bed. “Stay.” 

Ann smiled and put the books down back onto the desk. “That’s exactly what I was hoping you would say,” she said, climbing over next to him. They laid back onto the pillows and turned on their sides, facing each other. 

“I’m sorry school was so hard today,” he said. 

“It’s ok,” Ann replied, although the reminder of school was not what she wanted right now. “I have Spider-Man by my side.” He flashed her a smile that made her knees feel weak- even while she was laying down.

“I love you so much,” he said. Ann’s eyes sparkled with joy. “I love your mind,” he whispered, kissing her temple. “I love your smile.” He traced kisses down her face until his lips met hers, soft but purposeful. She arched her back towards him, circling her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. “I love your scars,” he ran his hand down her back, making her shiver. He could feel the places where Doc Ock had whipped her, and rage mixed with his passion as he kissed her harder, remembering how lost he had felt without her. 

She was his map, his guidance. What grounded him when he was floating without end. 

She was his paradise.


	14. As normal as it can be

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ann agrees to go on a talk show

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alrighty. It's coronacation chapter spam time!

Weeks of school went by with little event. Every day it got easier, just as Peter said it would. Everything became more normal. Well, normal as it can be when your boyfriend is an avenger. Ann was living in the happiest days of her life. After school she went to train with Natasha. She could spar with her now, although she had only ever beaten her when Nat was clearly letting her. Ann was becoming stronger and more skilled every day. Peter would climb into his room (although really it was theirs at this point) sometimes hours past midnight after patrol, and they would lay and fall asleep together.   
Ann now lived full time at the avengers compound. It was like heaven. But as Tony had predicted, there was one thing that never stopped: the onslaught of requests from the press. Peter had been on TV, been interviewed and put in magazines. But Ann stayed out firmly on the sidelines, her anxiety keeping her off of the TV screen or out of the articles. Until today. 

“Ann, you don’t have to do this,” assured Peter. “Eventually they will give up.”

“But they won’t, Peter,” she sighed, exasperated. She knew they would never stop until they could get her on-screen. Not while Spider-Man was still the hottest new story, which he would be for a while. “I’ll be fine,” she assured, “you will do most of the talking and I’ll just… sit and smile.” 

Peter felt pain in his chest hearing her say that. He knew how hard it would be for her to be on display like that. And besides, she was much too smart to be reduced to basically a living barbie doll. “If you’re sure you’re okay with this-” she placed her hand over his mouth. 

“Yes, I am.” Truly, she wanted nothing more to never step on that set, and they both knew it. But she had to do this. 

Peter’s eyes softened. “Okay.” 

*** 

Saturday night two weeks later, Ann was sweating nervously backstage of the talk show they would both be soon appearing on. Peter stood next to her, admiring her in a stunning red dress and black heels to match the color of his suit. The dress hugged her waist and flared out above her knees, with a string of small red rhinestones at her neckline. She had Tony to thank for the dress. It was quite possibly the most beautiful thing she had ever owned, and despite her fear, she couldn’t help staring at herself in the mirror and smoothing it down, flipping her bouncy hair styled in curled ringlets. Peter hugged her from behind, a comforting weight on her back and shoulders as she took in shuddering breaths that she tried to keep steady. 

“You look stunning,” he whispered and kissed her throat. She smiled, breathing in the scent of him. 

“Not so bad yourself, Parker. Have you been working out?” she prodded his bicep jokingly, but actually found it much firmer than she expected. 

“I’ve got a girl that I hope to impress,” he replied, matching her retort. 

“Well, I hope she won’t mind this.” She reached up and kissed him. All of her attention flowed to him in a vacuum, and she became lost for a second, as he wrapped his arms slowly around her waist as she snaked hers around his neck. 

“Careful, you’re transferring your lipstick over to me,” he muttered. She pulled away, leaning into his hands. 

“I think it looks nice on you,” she said through a fit of giggles.

A stagehand dressed in all black poked their head around the corner. “You guys are on soon,” they said hurriedly and left, seemingly unbothered by their PDA. They left the door open for Ann and Peter.

“Just follow my lead.” Despite the situation, she felt a tingle of pleasure, but her emotions steeled quickly as she tried to prepare herself. She laced her fingers through his as they walked onto the stage. 

***

Ann plastered on a fake smile as the crowd erupted in cheers. “Here they are, ladies and gentlemen! Everyone give it up for Peter and Ann!” Ann’s eyes stung from the stage lights but they adjusted quickly, and she could start to make out shapes in the crowd. As everything came into focus, she realized how big the studio audience was. Not to mention how many people would be viewing this at home. She tried not to let her mask of comfort slip as she turned to Peter, heart pounding. He gave her hand a supportive squeeze and she relaxed, settling onto a plush couch beside him. 

Their host- Mr. Mino, was wearing a pressed grey-blue suit and a matching tie, dark black hair neatly styled and gelled. He looked perfectly polished in an almost eerie fashion, as if he couldn’t be quite real. The more terrifying part was that the more you looked at him, the more you accepted his look. As the applause died down, Mino turned to Peter and Ann, flashing them a dazzling smile of pearly white teeth. “Well, thank you both very much for joining us,” he said, voice smooth and calming. 

“It’s our pleasure,” replied Peter, face deepening into an equally gorgeous smile. 

“And thank you, especially, Ann. You have been kind of MIA from these sorts of things, and we are honored to have you here.”   
Ann felt the attention of the nation turn on her. She wrestled down the feeling of unease in her stomach and replied just the way she had rehearsed. “The honor is all mine,” Ann replied, impressed at how easily she delivered the line. She just hoped it didn’t sound as though she was reading from a script. 

“If I may ask,” continued Mr. Mino, “Why has it been so hard to bring you into public view?” Ann had expected this question and had done some analysis on a good way to respond based on other positive interviews she had seen on TV. Okay, she asked Nat, but calling it analysis seemed so much cooler. 

“Well, in truth, I was a little bit nervous. Actually, I am a lot a bit nervous. But having Peter here makes it a whole lot easier.”   
Ann snuggled against him, thinking back to what Nat had said: “they want sweethearts, so give ‘em sweethearts.” Ann heard a collective ‘Aww…’ from the audience, and even Peter blushed a little bit. Maybe this wasn’t so bad after all. 

As the interview went on, Peter still did most of the talking. Especially when it came to questions about her kidnapping, which still made her very uncomfortable. But every once in a while, she stepped in, offering short answers that got big reactions. 

Finally, the interview was drawing to a close. Ann was itching to get her heels off. Even sitting down they were uncomfortable. When all of a sudden a crash followed by screams echoed through the studio. It sounded like it was coming from backstage. Peter and Ann both perked up, on edge. Ann’s heart hammered in her chest, and Peter moved instinctively in front of her. Mr. Mino looked confused and startled, his utterly perfect persona slipping for a brief moment. 

All went quiet until none other than Doc Ock appeared from the side of the stage. She almost took up the entire room. Ann stood paralyzed in fear and shock. Screams of the audience erupted as they all made their way quickly to the exits. But Doc Ock didn’t seem to care. Her eyes were fixed only on Ann and Peter. Without hesitation, Peter leaped onto her, fist raised, ready to bring it down across her face. Rage and adrenaline pumped through his veins, ready to give a deserving payback to the monster that had hurt the girl he loved. But before he could reach her, a glass cage encapsulated him in mid-air. It was airtight, and he soon smelled sleeping gas swarming around him.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading my story! I hope you liked it, and there will be more coming soon! Remember to leave kudos and comments! See you later! :)


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